27 Sports Thursday, March 5, 2020 Liverpool beaten again as Chelsea ease into FA Cup quarters Liverpool remain well on course for first league title in 30 years LONDON: Jurgen Klopp insisted the best of Liverpool’s we are trying to bridge the gap upwards,” said Lampard. season may still be to come despite a third defeat in four “I can’t ask for any more in the spirit, work ethic and games saw them crash out of the FA Cup 2-0 at the hands quality. You have got to defend very well to keep a clean of Chelsea on Tuesday. Klopp made seven changes to the sheet against them.” Chelsea got the lift they needed from side beaten for the first time in 45 Premier League games the opening goal as Liverpool’s understudy goalkeeper at Watford on Saturday, but still named a far stronger XI Adrian undid the good work of a brilliant save from Willian than the youthful teams that had seen off Everton and within a minute. Shrewsbury to reach the fifth round. The Brazilian was gifted possession again just outside However, goals from Willian and Ross Barkley gave the Liverpool box and this time Adrian could only turn his Frank Lampard’s men a much-needed lift at Stamford powerful drive into the bottom corner. At the other end, Bridge. “Losing 2-0 is not good, but it is relatively easy to Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had been dropped for the previ- explain. We made two massive mistakes around the goals,” ous five games, showed why Chelsea spent £72 million said Klopp. ($92 million) on him just over 18 months ago as he made Liverpool remain well on course for a first league title in three reaction saves in a matter of seconds to deny Mane, 30 years with a 22-point lead at the top of the Premier Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino what seemed a certain League, but run the risk of their competitive campaign equaliser. coming to an early end once the title is sewn up unless Chelsea then lost Mateo Kovacic and Willian to injury they can overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Atletico either side of half-time to further deplete Lampard’s mid- Madrid in the Champions League next week. field options. But that may provide the opportunity “It is not the best three weeks of the whole season but Barkley needs to kickstart his flagging career at the it is a chance to make it the best three weeks now and that Bridge. The England international doubled Chelsea’s lead is the plan,” added Klopp. “Nobody has to feel sorry for in spectacular style midway through the second half as he us, we will win football games and that is what we want to galloped forward from inside his own half before smashing do on Saturday.” past Adrian from outside the area. Newcastle and Sheffield A run of five wins in 16 league games and a 3-0 thrash- United also booked their place in the quarter-finals on ing at home by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Tuesday. Champions League last 16 tie last week meant the pres- A double from Miguel Almiron helped Newcastle to a sure was on Chelsea to keep their hopes of silverware this 3-2 win at West Brom to reach the last eight for the first season alive. “We are not the Chelsea of different eras time in 14 years. Sheffield United needed extra-time to see gone by with (Eden) Hazard and (Diego) Costa, (John) off Reading 2-1, but the Blades’ brilliant campaign contin- LONDON: Chelsea’s French striker Olivier Giroud (C) shoots but fails to score during the English FA Cup fifth round Terry and (Didier) Drogba, we’ve got younger players but ued thanks to a winner from captain Billy Sharp. — AFP football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in London.— AFP “It’s unbelievable for them and we want to strive to do ons and then they do parades. White eyes WCup that. It’s exciting to face them and put ourselves against “It was quite hard. But it was quite good for me to them, especially with a new squad and the youngsters be able to see that and see how I want to move forward Matches on TV coming in for this camp. and I want to be on the receiving end of what they are (Local Timings) revenge vs US in “It’s an exciting time for us and we’ve got the belief receiving next time around.” that on any given day that we can beat the best in the The US women meanwhile will head into the SheBelieves Cup world.” White, however, admits she is still haunted by SheBelieves tournament brimming with confidence as ITALIAN CUP the VAR decision in the semi-final which allowed the they prepare for this summer’s Olympics. USA coach SSC Napoli v Internazionale Milano 22:45 United States to complete a 2-1 victory. Vlatko Andonovski has included 10 of the 11 players beIN Sports ORLANDO: England striker Ellen White is determined Her second-half effort which was ruled offside would who started the World Cup final in his 23-strong squad, to prove the Lionesses are worthy rivals to the United have pulled England level and White added: “I do sit at with Alex Morgan — who is preparing for the birth of States today as the SheBelieves Cup kicks off in home at night and say ‘ahhh, I just can’t stand VAR’. her first child — the only key absentee. England mean- ENGLAND FA CUP Florida. The four-nation tournament gets under way in “My husband will say the same thing! It’s frustrating. I while head into Thursday’s opener on the back of sev- Derby County FC v Manchester United 22:45 Orlando with Spain taking on Japan before England still get a lot of people saying stuff about VAR. eral lacklustre results which have left manager Phil beIN Sports face the USA in a rematch of last year’s World Cup “It really irritates me but it is what it I - that’s just Neville under pressure. England have won just two of semi-final. football. Playing the USA is always so exciting though. their last seven games. For White, today represents a chance for revenge “They have some unbelievable players and it’s so “We have been disappointed with our performances SPAIN COPA DEL REY against the Americans, who won the World Cup semi- competitive now. (The rivalry) has got bigger and big- since the World Cup,” said White. “We’ve got a new Granada CF v Athletic de Bilbao 23:00 final 2-1 before going on to win a fourth title. White, ger each time we have played them.” For England group, it’s a fresher group, a younger group and we who bagged six goals in France to finish joint top-scor- defender Rachel Daly, who plays her club soccer for the want to show it’s a new start for us.” beIN Sports er alongside the USA’s Alex Morgan and Megan Houston Dash, the agony inflicted in the Lyon semi-final After today’s opening fixtures in Florida, the teams Rapinoe, says the English women are striving for the was long-lasting. head to New Jersey with Japan facing England and the FRENCH CUP consistency of the Americans. “It was really frustrating because everything every- United States playing Spain on Sunday. The tournament Saint Etienne v Stade Rennais 22:55 “They’ve always been that team that have gone on to where was about them winning,” she said. “There were concludes in Frisco, Texas on March 11 with England consistently win and win major tournaments,” the billboards everywhere, walking into the airport the first playing Spain, and the USA meeting Japan in a rematch beIN Sports Manchester City forward told reporters on Tuesday. thing I see is welcome home USA, World Cup champi- of the 2015 World Cup final. — AFP Sydney stunned by Juve, AC Milan UEFA ‘confident’ virus outbreak 10-man Jeonbuk cup semi will not derail Euro 2020 plans SYDNEY: Sydney FC ended a three-game goal postponed amid AMSTERDAM: UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said drought but failed to secure a first home AFC Tuesday he was confident European football’s governing Champions League win in four years yesterday as 10- body could deal with any worst-case scenario in relation man Jeonbuk Motors snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw. coronavirus chaos to the upcoming Euro 2020 as the continent battles to The Group H clash at Jubilee Stadium was only the contain the spread of the coronavirus. second fixture this week to survive the havoc caused to COVID-19 has been detected in 76 countries world- Asia’s top club competition by the coronavirus which ROME: The Italian Cup semi-final clash wide, killing over 3,000 people with Italy the worst-hit between Juventus and AC Milan has been saw 14 group stage matches postponed. nation in Europe. The game sprung to life five minutes after half-time postponed as fears mount over the coron- The Italian capital Rome is one of 12 venues across the avirus epidemic in northern Italy, local when the South Korean two-time former continental continent set to host matches at the European champions took the lead as Luke Brattan poked an authorities in Turin announced on Tuesday. Championship in June and July. A long list of sports events The match was due to take place on attempted clearance into his own net.